International search of former co-owner of Euroset Evgeny Chichvarkin has been discontinued. As reported on Thursday by an official representative of the National Central Bureau (NCB) of Interpol at the Interior Ministry Olga Shklyarov, it is due to the termination of criminal proceedings against Chichvarkin under Article 24 of the Code (the absence of a crime).

 

The previouse day Chichvarkin’s lawyer Yuri Gervis said that investigators have quashed the absentee arrest of the founder and former co-owner of Euroset, Interfax reported. "The decision to absentee arrest was quashed by the inspector. Chichvarkin is not arrested or a person who is liable to arrest," Gervis said.

On Monday, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation officially discontinued the criminal prosecution of Chichvarkin in the case of kidnapping and extortion.

Meanwhile, Chichvarkin said that he would return to Russia only when leadership of the country changes. "If I go back to Russia, it is only through direct elections, as a result of which the new elite comes to power, which makes the country free, beautiful and progressive. That means never," Chichvarkin said during the video link on Wednesday.

He noted that it is dangerous to return to Russia. "I am confident that there will be provocations committed against me, and I have no doubt in this," Chichvarkin said.

He urged Russians to come at the next election and think seriously when voting. Earlier in the interview Chichvarkin did not call any political reason for his failure to return, but his fears of judicial-legal nature.

"For me it (the return) is dangerous. I can be charged for another old criminal case", Chichvarkin said. According to him, they have arrested a person who intended to exert pressure in order to obtain evidence against the former owner of Euroset. "These are the same people," he said referring to the initiators of the case